Presents 15 recommendations for policy and practice regarding adult students returning to secondary classes. Recommendations are arranged around the issues of reasons for return, integration, and differentiation. (SK)

The learning climate set by adult educators reflects assumptions about adults as learners and the teaching-learning transaction. Creating positive environments requires attending to initial contact with learners; answering the questions Who are we? Who am I the instructor? and Why are we here?; and using icebreakers. (SK)

Conducted naturalistic study to capture through "thick description" the perceptions, actions, and behaviors of seven returning female students from their own perspective. Examined the importance of goal; mattering and caring issues; issues of proper treatment; adjustment process; relational issues; and capitalizing on the abilities of this special…

A British project is supporting open learning using computer-based materials to improve access to a return-to-study program for adults. In addition to multimedia, support is provided in the form of group study sessions, phone contact with tutors and mentors, and a supplementary workbook. (SK)

Examines the role of People's Colleges in Sweden in working with dropouts. Evaluates the effectiveness of labor market-oriented education in helping dropouts achieve employment or continuing their education. (SK)

Of 34 students in a bridging program for underrepresented groups at an Australian university, 19 had no recent educational experience and 10 came directly from high school; 20 used friends as their primary information source, smaller numbers used mass media. Better ways to disseminate information about the bridging program were recommended. (SK)

A study of mature Irish students returning to university finds that access for nontraditional students includes accessibility in terms of dealing with conflict between learners'"common-sense" knowledge and academic knowledge. Habermas' theory of communicative action provides a framework for collaborative, democratic discourse about what…

Good, T. L., Bidle, B. J., and Goodson, I. F. [1997. The study of teaching: Modern and emerging conceptions. In B. J. Bidle, T. L. Good, & I. F. Goodson (Eds.), International handbook of teachers and teaching (Vol. II, pp. 671-679). Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers] have referred to "the recent flowering of works on…

The lives of adult women tend to be framed by emotional relationships created early in the life course that reflect the social roles of daughter, friend, wife, and mother. These bonds, often long-term, persist in later adult life and shape decisions made about job and career trajectories through their implementation or not in the social networks…

The original evaluation of Seattle Public Schools' 1983-84 Re-entry Program for suspended or expelled students was limited to student behavioral improvement observed during the course of the program. In an attempt to examine the program's long-term effects a follow-up evaluation was conducted which compared program participants and…

This assessment survey is intended to provide adult educators with some insights into the real and perceived stresses felt by their adult basic education (ABE) students. The test consists of 35 questions dealing with such items as failure in general, specific subject area, test taking, health, personal and marital problems, financial problems,…

There are many causes of poor academic performance among college students and many methods of assisting academic underachievers to improve their academic standing. A study was conducted to compare the rates of ongoing academic success of students who had been academically suspended and who reentered the university less than one year following…

Discusses the characteristics of adult learners, their needs and problems, the ways in which counseling can assist them, and the counseling skills that can encourage the growth and development of the adult learner. (Author/BL)

Hypothesized that schools may not want to take back students who had once dropped out of school. Investigated schools' response to dropouts trying to return. Results indicated that schools were more likely to accept the child who is represented by the parent, and that schools reacted more favorably to the parent. (Author/ABB)

Examined the effects of two different career interventions (Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory or a Vocational Card Sort) on career undecided reentry women. Significant effects were found for both treatments, with the women experiencing less career indecision following the interventions. Both interventions were equally effective, and the women…